Xona Space Systems has raised $170 million in a Series C funding round to accelerate development of its satellite navigation system designed as an alternative to GPS.
The round was led by Mohari Ventures Natural Capital, with participation from Samsung Next, ICONIQ and other institutional investors.
Xona is developing a satellite constellation called Pulsar, which aims to overcome key limitations of traditional GPS systems, including weak signal penetration and vulnerability to interference.
Unlike conventional GPS signals, which struggle to pass through buildings and dense environments, Pulsar satellites use an isoflux antenna to generate what the company describes as a significantly stronger navigation signal. This signal is designed to penetrate walls, tree cover and other obstacles, potentially enabling indoor positioning and more reliable performance in challenging environments.
The satellites are powered by 3,400-watt solar arrays and equipped with propulsion systems that allow them to adjust their positions in orbit, helping optimise coverage and network performance.
A key differentiator in Xona’s approach is its distributed clock architecture, which removes the need for onboard atomic clocks typically used in GPS satellites. Instead, the system synchronises timing across multiple satellites, with the company claiming accuracy within 10 nanoseconds.
“Pulsar signals work with the devices people already use today,” said Brian Manning, co-founder and Chief Executive of Xona Space Systems. “In many cases, Pulsar can be enabled through a simple software update. More than a dozen commercial receiver partners are already tracking Pulsar signals within their devices.”
Traditional GPS systems determine location by measuring signal travel time from multiple satellites and applying trilateration. These calculations rely on highly precise atomic clocks, which are costly and complex. Xona’s alternative approach aims to simplify satellite design while maintaining high accuracy.
The company plans to use the new funding to expand its satellite manufacturing facility in Burlingame, California, and advance deployment of the Pulsar network. Xona aims to launch its first systems by the end of 2026 and scale the constellation to 258 satellites in the coming years.
The investment reflects growing interest in next-generation positioning technologies as industries seek more robust and precise navigation solutions beyond traditional GPS.
